Should we introduce a rent cap in the UK?

I don't like to get involved in party politics but as far as I can see this is a moral issue. 

The government seem to be trying to get us to see those on housing benefit as scroungers, when tax payers money is going straight into the pockets of profiteering landlords, they sold off a lot of the council houses and then blame the victims of these policies whilst using public money to bolster private profit. Surely it would be better if this money went to those vulnerable people in the community that really need it?

Anyway,  it's worth signing this. 

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/introduce-a-rent-cap-in-london?source=facebook-share-button&time=1419098238

Latest musical adventures

Hello one and all 

Merry Christmas!!  I just wanted to say a massive thanks for all your support in 2014, it’s hugely appreciated. It’s been a good one!  

Sadly due to new VAT rules I will have to close the Bandcamp shop on the 31st of December. If you want my first three solo albums cheaper than iTunes visit (and some downloads unavailable elsewhere):

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com

For the next week I’ve also made available again the Live in Blackpool album for £3 as there probably won’t be another opportunity for me to sell it:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/live-in-blackpool

Thanks to everyone who has downloaded from there in the last few years, any downloads between now and the end of the year will help to support future projects and are greatly appreciated. 

If you have a few minutes if you could vote for me/Fierce And The Dead in the Prog magazine readers poll that would be greatly appreciated:

http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2014-12-22/prog-readers-poll-2014

And the DPRP readers poll:

http://www.dprp.net/dprpoll/2014/index.php

Voting in these makes a massive difference to me as it helps to get attention to my bloody weird music. Thanks for all your support.

Speak soon 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Bill Bruford lecture/föreläsning Malmo Malmö 7 November 2011

Bill Bruford lecture/föreläsning Malmo Malmö 7 November 2011

Last day.....

*LAST DAY!*

Today is the last day to get my first 3 solo albums (Relic/Ghost/Echo) for £1 each from:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/

OR The Fierce & The Dead's album for £1/£5(CD) from:

http://music.badelephant.co.uk/album/spooky-action

Please share and tell your friends  Thanks loads to everyone who has downloaded already 

Photo by The Chaos Engineers

Matt Stevens December News

Hi 

Hope you are good? 

Today I saw a trailer for Star Wars 7 that looked pretty cool and now I'm off to see my friend Kavus play guitar for Gong. Happy times! 

If you want to get my band (The Fierce And The Dead)’s latest album Spooky Action for £1 (download) or £5 on CD this offer finishes at the end of November. You can order it here:

http://music.badelephant.co.uk/album/spooky-action

And also my first 3 (pre Lucid) albums (Echo, Relic, Ghost) are £1 each on download until the end of November as well. Get them here:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/music

And if you are feeling the Christmas spirit a bit early you can download my version of Silent Night here:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/silent-night

Purchasing these downloads allows me to keep making music and paying the rent and is very much appreciated. Thanks to everyone who has downloaded already, it means a lot to me. 

Speak soon 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

What happens when they close all the small venues?

I just saw that they are closing my local “small venue” The Buffalo Bar in Islington. It’s a wonderful little venue. I played there supporting Prescott a while back and I’ve been to quite a few gigs there. Please visit:

https://www.change.org/p/save-the-buffalo-bar-one-of-london-s-best-loved-music-venues

And sign the petition to keep it open. 

It’s made me think, what happens when all these venues are gone? OK so a a lot of them make very little money, often because bands either don’t have any fans/friends or gig too often, messing up their draw. If people don’t come it messes things up for everyone, that’s why bands and promoters need to work together to get an audience to gigs. 

The key with promoting these sort of places is making the gigs “events”. Once these places are gone where will new bands learn their craft? You can’t just start doing support slots without any experience or fans or contacts. You have to build it up and these sort of venues are an essential part of the process. 

It’s a very hard thing to do, The Buffalo Bar has a great promoter in Paul from Guided Missile, well worth supporting. 

Legendary small venues like The Peel and The Bull & Gate are now gone. I played the Peel so many times opening for lots of prog bands thanks to my friend the legendary promoter Twang. That was my "break", where I built the audience. 

Let’s try and keep the Buffalo Bar open. Support you local small venue. 

Something Spooky Happened.

It’s easy to be cynical, but I try not to be, I believe that to get things done you need to be positive. I don’t always succeed but I’m aware that the alternative (sitting around being depressed) doesn’t help. (I realise this is a massive over-simplification). 

Why I’m writing this is because something amazing has happened with regard to The Fierce And The Dead’s Spooky Action album. Our friends at BEM music are selling Spooky Action for £1 on download or £5 for the CD. You can get it here. I’ve always felt that this album (which I co-wrote and played guitar on) was one of the best things I’ve worked on (alongside Lucid). I just thought it was really good. And it got really good reviews as well. Such as:

"4 out of 5” Total Guitar Magazine

"..post-hardcore bass tone; pulsing motorik drums; chiming, interlocking guitars somewhere between Afrobeat and Robert Fripp (and) shockingly brutal bursts of math-metal”  Rock A Rolla

"(This) is what would’ve happened if Philip Glass had ripped up his Fulbright scholarship at the kitchen table and said “Screw you Mom, I’m gonna start a garage band”'  Demon Pigeon 

"(Spooky Action) doesn’t just shift goalposts – it uproots them, sends them into space and puts them on another planet” Echoes and Dust 

"...these chaps are some of the most intrepid explorers in rock music.” Oliver Arditi

Anyway BEM tell me that lots of people have been downloading Spooky as part of this offer. Lots. Which is amazing, I’m not sure if it’s because of people getting to know my music more or because of all the gigs we’ve done this year, but this really is hugely appreciated. I’ve always wanted more people to hear this record. It’s interesting that on release things don’t always find an audience but eventually grow and this seems to be the case here. You find it across culture from comics to fine art. Some things just resonate later on. Why in 2014 are people becoming interested in "progressive rock"? Why do some artists barely sell a painting during their lifetime?

Enough. 

If you like Spooky Action, can you help us? Share the link to it on Facebook or Twitter. Write a blog post about it. Tell a friend. Include a track on a podcast. Make a film and use one of the songs as a soundtrack. Tell the world. The audience has SO much control now, it’s up to you. The link is here:

http://music.badelephant.co.uk/album/spooky-action

Massive thanks to everyone who has shared it already, this success is because of you. 

Thanks loads

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

A reply to David Gilmour from a modern musician.

“God, I’m going to sound like a grumpy old man. Modern music, to me, is very formulaic."

So says Dave Gilmour of "the Floyd" on the Prog magazine  website. I like Pink Floyd especially Wish You Were Here. 

I'm sorry but this isn't true, only if you listen to the mainstream charts. And guess what? Most mainstream music from the 70's was rubbish as well. Tie A Yellow Ribbon around any argument if you want. Check out new albums by Knifeworld, Trojan Horse, Hi Fiction Science or loads of other stuff if you want to hear some great new music (or even the last Fierce And The Dead record for £1 *cough*). 

We can all make generalisations:

Here is some music from now:

Some music from the 70's:

  

See. Open your ears and try some new music. John Peel said:

"The best year for music? This year, and before that, last year."

For every Bowie there was a Chirpy Chirpy Cheap Cheap. NOW is a very exciting time. 

Get Spooky Action for £1 or £5 on CD

A year ago a band I'm in made an album, we're still really proud of it. Now you can get it for £1 for the download or a fiver on CD (for November only) thanks to Bad Elephant Music. If you like it please tell your friends.

http://music.badelephant.co.uk/album/spooky-action

From The Desk Of Matt Stevens - November edition

Hiya 

How is it November already?

This is a previously unreleased track from the Ghost album sessions. It's called Blue Filter, I played it live a lot around the time when the album came out..

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/track/blue-filter-2

Available to download for the next week then it’ll be deleted :) Buying music like this allows me to keep on making music. 

New video - playing Big Sky for Auden Guitars 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AVE0iSdM7w

I'm selling some of the my gear on Ebay. The Kaossilator I used on the song Lake Man on the Ghost album and delay pedal from the Stabbing A Dead Horse tour. 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/trinovantes1/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Other than that it’s heads down writing and recording new material for new projects/Fierce And The Dead and the next solo record. One gig coming up in Milton Keynes in on the 31st January with Solstice.

Thanks for all your support. 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Matt Stevens - Big Sky

Stewart Lee Interviews Alan Moore - (1 of 3)

Happy Halloween

Jason Falkner - Pretty Ballerina

I've always loved Jason Falkner and the Left Banke. This is a great cover.

A change of strategy.

Well lets see if this works.

Matt Stevens - October Newsletter

Hi 

How is it October already? 

Unfortunately my gig in Leeds on Sunday is longer happening (for reasons beyond my control). Apologies if you were coming.

Tickets are still available for the final Fierce And The Dead gig of the year in London on October the 16th. We’ll be playing 2 new songs for the first time at:

http://www.seetickets.com/Event/the-fierce-and-the-dead/the-black-heart/808711

Other acts include Trojan Horse, Sumer and Mannheim. It’s going to be a good one, please get a ticket in advance. 

And if you want to download any of my first three solo albums from Bandcamp they’re 1/2 price for the whole of October. Just enter the code October at the checkout at:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/

All recent physical orders (non UK and I had to get some more T-Shirt bags) are going out this weekend, apologies for the delay. Thanks loads for your support, means a lot to me.

I really enjoyed the Lucid UK “tour” a lot (one more solo date at the Balham in London with UPF to go). 

Cheers

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Matt Stevens - Big SKy - Live at Summers End 2014

Summers End Full Line Up/Running Times Acoustic Stage

Summers End 2014 - Acoustic Stage and Draft Timings

Details at tickets at www.summersend.co.uk 

Acoustic Stage:

Saturday 27th
Matt Stevens www.mattstevensguitar.com
Tom Slatter www.tomslatter.co.uk
Neo Deals www.alsoeden.com/neo_deals.php

Sunday 28th
Unto Us www.untous.com
Guy Manning www.guymanning.com
Saul Blease www.saulblease.com

These acts will perform during the early part (so as not to suffer bleed from sound checks) of each break. As a result we can also announce the draft timings. As always, these are subject to change:

Summers End 2014 Draft Timings

Friday 26th (The Palmer Centre, High St, Chepstow)

Doors 6.30

7. 30- 9.10 Lifesigns

9.40 - 11.20 Touchstone

Saturday 27th (Chepstow Comprehensive School, Welsh St, Chepstow)

Doors 12.00

12.30 - 1.30 Argos

1.50 - 2.50 Frequency Drift

2.55-3.20 Acoustic Stage - Neo Deals

3.40 - 5.00 DeeExpus

5.00 - 6.15 Break

5.10 - 5.40 Acoustic Stage - Tom Slatter

6.30 - 8.10 United Progressive Fraternity

8.10 - 9.30 Break

8.20 - 8.50 Acoustic Stage - Matt Stevens

9.45 - 11.30 New Trolls

Sunday 28th (Chepstow Comprehensive School, Welsh St, Chepstow)

Doors 12.00

12.30 - 1.30 Colourflow

1.50- 2.50 Verbal Delirium

2.55 - 3.20 Acoustic stage TBC

3.40 - 5.00 Tin Spirits

5.00 - 6.10 Break

5.10 - 5.40 Acoustic Stage - Guy Manning

6.20-7.50 Magenta

7.50 - 9.15 Break

8.00 - 8.30 - Acoustic Stage - Unto Us

9.30 - 11.00 Curved Air

Tickets remain available from www.summersend.co.uk

Matt Stevens - September/October Newsletter

Thanks to everyone who preordered the Echo album re-issue, it meant a lot to me. They have now arrived from the printers and I’ll be signing, numbering and sending them out in the next few days. I have a tiny amount left at:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/echo

I managed to get my Telecaster fixed (with a new Bare Knuckle Pickups humbucker) and my pedal board working thanks to these sales. Thanks loads. 

The Fierce And The Dead play one last UK show at the Black Heart in Camden on the 16th October 2014 with Trojan Horse, Sumer and Mannheim. Tickets are available here:

http://www.seetickets.com/Event/the-fierce-and-the-dead/the-black-heart/808711

And are selling well, thanks loads and would be great to see you there. 

My friend Emmett Elvin releases his new album on Monday, I played on one of the tracks. You can hear and order it here:

http://music.badelephant.co.uk/album/bloody-marvels-pre-order 

I’m so pleased to say I’m playing Summers End festival this year, the other final UK solo Lucid gigs are:

September 27th 2014 - Summers End Festival - Acoustic Stage

Oct 5 2014 10:00am Pudsey Civic Hall, Pudsey, UK

Oct 10th 8.00pm The Balham, London supporting the United Progressive Fraternity 

Nov 23 2014 10:00am Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, UK

After this activity I’m going to take some time off and work out new directions and ideas for the future. Keep trying new ideas. I want to focus on gigs outside the UK and collaborations and the next Fierce And The Dead record. Which all becomes research and development for solo album 5 anyway, whether thats a year or ten years away in the future.

Speak soon and thanks for your support. 

Take care. 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

The Fierce And The Dead Flyer Camden 16th October 2014

Matt Stevens - Ark

Matt Stevens - Ark

How do people discover new music?

Post by Matt Stevens.

I asked people on my Facebook music page how they discovered my music. I found out:

A - All the gigging, flyering and shaking hands was worth it.
B - No one thing helped to build an audience. It's a combination.
C - Steve Davis, Ian Fairholm and David Elliott's and the other podcasts really helped. As did Prog magazine. And blogs. 
D - It's still all about Word Of Mouth.

The days of everyone hearing about a band at the same time and them suddenly becoming popular seem to be over, at least in the niche/underground music scene. Unless someone throws lots of money at it

Matt Stevens - Ice Bucket

Cheers for nominating me Joe Payne text ICED55 plus your amount to 70070 for Motor Neuron Disease/ALS or call 01604 611860 or visit http://www.mndassociation.org/OneStopCMS/Core/TemplateHandler.aspx?NRMODE=Published&NRNODEGUID=%7B69E775DC-85BD-4698-A6B6-14B142C91205%7D&NRORIGINALURL=%2F&NRCACHEHINT=NoModifyGuest - I nominate Kevin Feazey Jon Patrick and David Elliott



Check out Jason Becker - there is a reason for all this. Ta

Joe Payne - Ice Bucket Challenge

Joe Payne - Ice Bucket Challenge

A big thank you :)

Hi

I just wanted to say thanks so much to everyone who pre-ordered the Echo album reissue, it meant a lot to me. There are less than 30 left now at:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/echo

Great to see the support for this final batch of the first album. I’ve covered the cost of printing and fixing one of my guitars, any further purchases will allow me to sort out the other telecaster. 

Unfortunately my gig in The Netherlands with Tim Bowness has been postponed due to circumstances beyond our control. The promoter is rearranging the date and I hope that I can do the new one. Apologies.

A few more gigs:

Fierce And The Dead live:

Sep 7th    Ashford    The Eggbowl Inn, Ashford    Malcfest

Oct 16th    Camden    The Black Heart, Camden    w/Sumer/TrojanHorse/Mannheim (tickets selling very fast for this). Tickets from:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1509922915907928/

A few more UK solo shows:

Oct 5 2014 10:00am Pudsey Civic Hall, Pudsey, UK

Oct 10th 8.00pm The Balham, London supporting the United Progressive Fraternity 

Nov 23 2014 10:00am Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, UK

I've updated my website at:

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Feedback and thoughts very welcome. 

Thanks loads and see you soon :)

Best 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Matt Stevens live at Woodfest

Thank you :)

It's my birthday today and it's the last day to download the live record. I'm playing at the Resonance Rock Festival in London at 12.30 this afternoon and The Fierce & The Dead are on at 8.30. 

Thanks for all your support this year. I managed to get the pedal I wanted with the money from the downloads. Expect organ madness very soon. That meant a lot to me. 

Gigs for the next 2 weeks:

Aug 2 2014 1:00pm The Bedford, London, UK Resonance Festival (2 sets solo and Fierce And The Dead)

Aug 3 2014 1:00pm    Rhythms Of The World Festival, Hitchin, HRT, UK

Aug 9 2014 1:00pm    Woodfest, Irchester, UK (2 sets solo and Fierce And The Dead)

Aug 10 2014 1:00pm Cambridge Rock Festival, Cambridge, UK

Aug 12 2014 8:00pm The Vortex, London, HACKN, UK with Susanna

Download:

http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/the-farncombe-bootleg

And it's the last week to vote for me in the prog awards:

http://awards.prog.teamrock.com/

Thanks so much for all your support :) 

A special project

Hi

I would really appreciate your support with this one. 

So this is it - I realised - If I can get another 30 people to download this live record I can get an EHX B9 pedal and put loads of cool guitar organ sounds all over the next album.  

Thanks loads everyone who have downloaded it already. Really appreciate it. Bit like a mini kickstarter idea. 

See what the pedal does here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98u-MDTKAWU

Download the live record here:

http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/the-farncombe-bootleg

Thanks loads for this :) 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Last week to get this live album/Resonance festival

This is the last week to get this live album which will be deleted on the 1st of August. Mastered/fixed by Kevin Feazey who did Lucid. Thanks loads to everyone who has purchased it so far. Here is a quote about it:

"I was there! It was a great gig in a church. Sound was awesome and is captured in this recording" Graham Harris 

http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/the-farncombe-bootleg

If you want to vote for me in the Prog magazine awards there is still time at:

http://awards.prog.teamrock.com/vote/breakthrough#

And next weekend is RESONANCE festival - it’s my birthday and I’m opening the festival solo and The Fierce And The Dead are headlining the Synergy stage. It's also my birthday that day. Help us raise money for the Macmillan Cancer charity, some amazing bands for a great cause including Tim Bowness, Big Elf, The Enid, Nosound, Lifesigns and many more. 

resonance-festival.com

More gigs on my website including Holland and some final UK dates for 2014.   

Speak soon and thanks for all your support

Best

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Matt Stevens - July Update

Hi 

Hope you’re good? It’s been busy here. 

I’m very pleased to say I’ve been nominated as a Breakthrough Artist at the Prog Awards. This is how Prog describe it. "They might not necessarily be new bands, but they’re starting to find recognition beyond the record collections of prog fans in the know":

http://awards.progmagazine.com/vote/breakthrough

Other bands nominated include Syd Arthur, 65Days Of Static, Animals As Leaders and more. 

Lots of gigs coming up - the london show with Prescott should be good and Eppyfest is an amazing event…

Really looking forward to supporting Tim Bowness, these will be very special shows. 

Upcoming solo live shows:

July 2nd 2014 7:00pm Buffalo Bar, London, UK with Prescott and Tuner

July 11 2014, 7:00p    Borderline, London, UK With Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin and Nosound

Jul 12 2014 7:00pm    The Wesley Centre, Maltby, Rotherham, UK With Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin and Nosound

Aug 2 2014 1:00pm The Bedford, London, UK Resonance Festival

Aug 3 2014 1:00pm    Rhythms Of The World Festival, Hitchin, HRT, UK

Aug 9 2014 1:00pm    Woodfest, Irchester, UK

Aug 10 2014 1:00pm Cambridge Rock Festival, Cambridge, UK

Aug 12 2014 8:00pm The Vortex, London, HACKN, UK with Susanna

September 11th  De Boerderij, Holland with Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin 

Fierce And The Dead shows:

July 5th    Stroud    Lansdown Hall, Stroud    Eppyfest 3

Aug 2nd    London    The Bedford, Balham    Resonance Fest

Aug 9th    Irchester    Irchester Country Park, Irchester    Woodfest

Thanks for your support. 

Thanks loads

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Tim Bowness & Henry Fool Tour Trailer

Holland/Tim Bowness/Festivals and Download

The recent live record The Farncombe Bootleg is £3 for this week only, download yours here:

https://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/the-farncombe-bootleg

And get some free music from Simon Godfrey, The Fierce & The Dead, The Gift, Emmett Elvin and Shineback courtesy of Bad Elephant Music when you sign up for the Prog magazine website. 3 out 4 of these projects I played guitar on, I guested on the first and last tracks as well as the FATD stuff:

http://www.teamrock.com/features/2014-06-09/register-at-teamrock-com-today-have-some-free-music

First gig outside the UK announced and final solo shows for 2014: 

July 2nd 2014 Buffalo Bar, London, UK with Prescott

July 11 2014, Borderline, London, UK With Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin and Nosound

Jul 12 2014 The Wesley Centre, Maltby, Rotherham, UK With Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin and Nosound

Aug 2 2014 The Bedford, London, UK Resonance Festival

Aug 3 2014 Rhythms Of The World Festival, Hitchin, UK

Aug 9 2014 Woodfest, Irchester, UK

Aug 10 2014 Cambridge Rock Festival, Cambridge, UK

Aug 12 2014 The Vortex, London, 

September 11th  De Boerderij, Holland with Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin 

Oct 5 2014 Pudsey Civic Hall, Pudsey, UK

Nov 23 2014 Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, UK

Final Fierce And The Dead shows for 2014:

July 5th Eppyfest 3 Stroud 

Aug 2nd Resonance Balham 

Aug 9th Woodfest Irchester 

Sep 4th-7th Malcfest Ashford

Thanks for all your support in 2014. This has been the most intense year yet with the gigs and releases. I think 2015 will be a LOT quieter. 

Speak soon 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

The Fierce And The Dead - 'Chief' Live At The Underworld 6/6/2014

The Fierce and the Dead Live Cardiff June 2014

The Fierce and the Dead Live Cardiff June 2014

Hi 

Hope you’re well this fine Toosday? Fantastic gig last weekend at Celebr8 both with the band and with my friend Andy Tillison 

I’m on tour playing the guitar in The Fierce And The Dead this week:

Tickets for Cardiff on Thursday - http://www.wegottickets.com/event/261209 - With ANTA and THORUN

For London on Friday -http://www.theunderworldcamden.co.uk/gigs/ with ANTA/TROJAN HORSE and EARLS OF MARS - first band at 7pm - early finish!! 

And i’m playing in a solo show in Brighton on Sunday with Arch Garrison:

https://www.facebook.com/events/746074128778146/?fref=ts

Pop down and if you can’t download this live album for just 5 pounds (it’ll be deleted very soon):

http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/the-farncombe-bootleg

Speak soon and thanks loads 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Trinity Live in Ten Minutes - Leamington Assembly - 18/05/14

Tour dates and a new download

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has purchased this live download, it means i can continue doing this. It makes a massive difference when touring is so expensive. 

http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/the-farncombe-bootleg

I'll be offline for a few days but wanted say thank you to the The Enid and Danny and the lovely audience for a top gig in Leicester and remind you that it's CELEBR8 festival next weekend, in Islington, pop down. 

Thanks for your support. 

Fierce And The Dead - final tour dates for the foreseeable future: 

June 1st - Clbr8.3 Islington 

June 5th - Moon Club Cardiff 

June 6th - Underworld Camden 

July 5th - Eppyfest 3 Stroud 

Aug 2nd - Resonance Balham 

Aug 9th - Woodfest Irchester 

Sep 4th-7th - Malcfest Ashford

Solo tour dates:

Jun 1 2014 6:30pm    Islington Assembly Hall London, UK with Andy Tillison at the Celebr8 Festival.

Jun 8 2014 8:00pm    The Brunswick. Brighton, UK with Arch Garrison

Jun 14 2014 7:00pm The Borderline, London, UK with Panic Room

July 2nd 2014 7:00pm Buffalo Bar, London, UK with Thumpermonkey and Prescott

July 11 2014, 7:00p    Borderline, London, UK With Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin and Nosound

Jul 12 2014 7:00pm    The Wesley Centre, Maltby, Rotherham, UK With Tim Bowness and Henry Fool Ft Colin Edwin and Nosound

Aug 2 2014 1:00pm The Bedford, London, UK Resonance Festival

Aug 3 2014 1:00pm    Rhythms Of The World Festival, Hitchin, HRT, UK

Aug 9 2014 1:00pm    Woodfest, Irchester, UK

Aug 10 2014 1:00pm Cambridge Rock Festival, Cambridge, UK

Aug 12 2014 8:00pm The Vortex, London, HACKN, UK with Susanna

Oct 5 2014 10:00am Pudsey Civic Hall, Pudsey, UK

Nov 23 2014 10:00am Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool, UK

Thanks loads 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Interview with Matt Stevens

Interview with Matt Stevens

Matt Stevens » Blog Archive » Celebr8 Festival 2014 PODCAST May 31st/June 1st 2014

Matt Stevens » Blog Archive » Celebr8 Festival 2014 PODCAST May 31st/June 1st 2014

Celebr8.3 At The Assembly Rooms, Islington May 31st-1st June

Celebr8.3 At The Assembly Rooms, Islington May 31st-1st June

London Guitar Night :)

Hi 

A very special show next weekend:

The London Guitar Night is here…

A monthly event showcasing some seriously cool artists kicking off on the 4th of May.

On Sunday the 4th of May the first London Guitar Night will be hosted by Chris Woods Groove.... The idea is simple, Chris will be presenting three varied and brilliant artists at The Troubadour in Ealrs Court. Tickets are 7 pounds and the gig kicks off at 7.30pm. On the bill this month is Chris Woods Groove, String Theory, Jon Hart, and Matt Stevens

For those of you geetar players there is also an informal workshop at 2pm which is 'pay what ya want'! lovingly dubbed 'guitar, tea and biscuits'...its your chance to come along, have a chat, learn a few things and enjoy a cuppa with Chris and the other artists.

Tickets can be brought in advance  for the show from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/268516

You don't have to book a place for the 'Guitar, tea and biscuits' and its 'pay what you want' so just turn up at 2pm. Any questions at all just email us at contact@chriswoodsgroove.co.uk

See ya there!

Also have a look at the live dates on my page lots of UK gigs:

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com/page2.htm

Also I REALLY want to play in EUROPE/USA or anywhere else where you can:

A: Pay for my flights 

B: Cover expenses. 

That’s all - I REALLY want to come and play. Send me a message if you can help!. 

Thanks loads for all your support :) 

Matt Stevens

http://www.fierceandthedead.com

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

If you feel generous please buy something from my bandcamp page - the money goes direct to funding more strange musical projects and keeping the website/podcast/email list/tour going.

OR!

Review or purchase my new album LUCID on AMAZON at:

Lucid ~ Matt Stevens http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I4583KC/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_quuxtb0EYYX84

THE FIERCE AND THE DEAD, Wharf Chambers, Leeds, April 2014

Sonny Rollins: Music is Meditation

I've been thinking about this a lot recently....

Facebook Fraud

Fake likes have caused us all sorts of expense and grief for Fierce And The Dead and my solo stuff. Worth a watch.

Team Rock

Top evening at TeamRock recording an interview for the Classic Rock Presents Prog show with Phil Wilding, talking about Lucid. They have a big wall where all the guests sign their name. I was next to Bill Bailey and Gavin Esler  ‪#‎rocknroll‬

Nice to see my mate Russ Russell on there as well 

Lucid Week 1 - Thank you for your support!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has purchased Lucid this week and the support of the team at Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red. I’ve been absolutely blown away by the response. Amazon UK sold out day one and it was in the top 350 best sellers in all music on the site, which is just incredible. It’s also had some really good reviews, I never expected this to be honest, even Alarm Magazine made it an album of the week! 

If you like this album please tell your friends, it does make a massive difference. Sharing on Facebook and Twitter, blogs and forums really does help. 

Amazon UK have stock now (but running low):

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lucid-Matt-Stevens/dp/B00I4583KC/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1396684078&sr=1-1&keywords=Matt+Stevens

(please consider writing a review!).

As do Burning Shed:

https://www.burningshed.com/store/guitarists/product/111/5458/

And its on iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/lucid/id848045570

other digital sites and various retail shops including HMV, Fopp and hopefully your local indie record shop (if you have one). I like record shops. 

Amongst many lovely and supportive reviews, this is one very detailed one by Oliver Arditi:

"one of the most fully engaged, artistically courageous recording artists currently active, and this album is his most ambitiously conceived, rigorously realised, and emotionally powerful release to date."

http://oliverarditi.com/2014/04/04/matt-stevens-lucid/

But there have been many others and they are all hugely appreciated. 

Thanks for your support , slightly dazed and confused now. 

NEW ALBUM "LUCID" OUT TODAY!

My new album LUCID is out today via Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records. 

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com/

You can hear clips and find out more about the record on my website. Please hit share and tell your friends. You can order it here:

https://www.burningshed.com/store/guitarists/product/111/5458/

Itunes link is here:

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/lucid/id848045570

Or at your local record store or Amazon etc…. 

If you want to review it on Amazon here, that would really help:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00I4583KC/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_Apsotb03VSZ0D

Also if you have a blog, tumblr, Facebook or Twitter or are a member of any forums and you can post about the album there it makes a massive difference, at this point it’s all down to the word of mouth, nothing else will help it to reach the audience in the same way. It’s down to that now. I’m feeling pretty optimistic! 

I’ll be doing a streaming event online at 7pm UK time today to celebrate, you can watch on your computer. Full info and international times are on my website.

This is the culmination of 3 years of work and your support is hugely appreciated. 

Thanks loads.

Matt Stevens

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com